A Zoological Guide to Pokemon
by Super-mega-punch
Summary: A Zoologist's take on the pokemon world and what pokemon are like in their natural habitats outside the pokeball. Please fave, follow and review. I take requests.
1. Introduction

**So I decided to randomly write something completely off the wall and I quite like my idea. It is no where near the commitment my other stories are like which suits my hectic life perfectly. This is was inspired by _A Beginners Guide to Pokemon_ by Thanos6 so much so its almost become something I should reference since I shouldn't lie I have stolen some ideas from them which I do apologise for. The story is in my favourites so do check it out.**

 **As I was reading it I was essentially inspired as a biologist/zoologist to think about how pokemon would act in the wild if they were to exist. All we really get are pokedex entries with little bits of information so using these, their design inspirations and my knowledge on animals in our world I figured I'd sort of write about my own theories and head-canons on what pokemon get up to in the wild.**

 **This first chapter is sort of set up explaining some of the laws of the pokemon world with respects to having pokemon as wild animals. Next chapter I will start with the actual pokemon reports.**

 **The best thing about this is I am willing to take requests about which pokemon I should do next from anyone who reviews otherwise I will just choose randomly when i feel like it. So please review and let me know what you think :)**

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 **Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: A Zoologists guide to life outside the Pokéball**

 **By Professor Baobob**

 **~ * -()- * ~**

Hello, and Welcome to a World of Pokémon like you've never seen it before.

My name is Professor Baobab, for those of you who don't know who I am. I am a world class Pokémon Professor specialising in the study of wild Pokémon in the field and the book you are now reading is my comprehensive encyclopaedia of Pokémon and how they exist within nature. Pokémon are studied for the most part based around their interactions with humans – whether it be with trainers, breeders or otherwise – This book's main focus however will be the biology and ecology of Pokémon in their natural habitat.

Of course Pokémon and Humans are innately linked and many Pokémon cannot survive or grow to their fullest potential without human influence. An excellent example of this would be Magnemite and Magneton who only live in areas where electric and magnetic fields are in abundance such as major cities. In this case a symbiotic relationship has been produced where these Pokémon rely on humans and their abundant use of electricity to survive. Hence It will be necessary to go into some details of human influence on Pokémon and their influence on us.

It should also be noted that Pokémon are very unique and varied life forms so much so that if they were the only creatures to exist on this planet they would without doubt go extinct. Many people fail to realise the importance of normal animals in maintaining the ecology of Pokémon. Normal animals sustain the environments in which Pokémon live often balancing the effects that Pokémon have on the environment. They also provide an essential food source to the omnivorous and carnivorous species of Pokémon such as Druddigon and Fearow. So while this is a study of Pokémon please be aware that there is a plethora of other life both supporting and supported by these creatures.

Now to the actual meat of what this book is and how it will work. This book is made up of many studies of various species of Pokémon found all across the globe. Each study will be based on the entire evolutionary line of a Pokémon as in the wild Pokémon evolution is an essential part of the lifecycle of many species of Pokémon. These studies will include relevant details on their behaviour, reproduction, evolution, and distribution. There will be little order to this book due to the difficulty of studying some Pokémon in the wild. Sentret for example are highly abundant and hence can easily be studied, studying Flygon however is difficult since Flygon are often solitary and can have an enormous home range making it very difficult to properly study. So while this book's studies are highly detailed, it is (for now at least) incomplete. One day perhaps this book will include every Pokémon in the known world however we all know that with the constant discovery of new Pokémon this will likely never happen. Truly it is a shame.

Finally, this book is of course subject to change, note that within the past decade the emergence of the fairy typing threw the scientific field and even the world into disarray changing a lot of what we know about Pokémon. So whatever edition you are reading will only be accurate to the date of edition release.

And so without further ado, let me introduce you to the World of Pokémon like you've never seen it before. Let me tell you about these fantastic beasts and where you will find them.

 **What is a Pokémon?**

The question of what a pokémon is, is a difficult one. Despite this you could place a caterpillar and a Caterpie in front of even a child and even they would tell you that the Caterpie was the pokémon. While most pokémon both resemble and act like animals many do not, taking the form of plants, inanimate objects or even more exotic forms. All however are closely related and despite pokemon having unknown origins they all share incredibly similar genetic codes suggesting perhaps a common ancestor to all pokémon. However, this is just one of the many mysteries surrounding pokémon and is a subject that is far too vast and off topic for the likes of this book.

As far as we are aware there are two things that separate a pokémon from an animal the first is the several fantastical powers that pokémon possess. Whether it be manipulation of fire and electricity or the causation of monumental events such as storms and meteor summoning. The power of pokémon is vast and incredible and sometimes downright terrifying.

Fortunately, these powers are not subject to mindless beasts that can cause catastrophe at will. No, the second difference between animal and pokémon is intelligence. While the intelligence of pokemon is variable it has been proven that all pokémon have the potential to be as intelligent or even more so than humans. This proven by their ability to work with a trainer in battle and their ability to understand the human language. This has been confirmed by pokémon with the capabilities to speak to both Humans and pokémon through powers such as telepathy.

This however raises the question as to why pokémon don't just constantly battle against each other and us for supremacy. The simple answer is they don't feel the need to. pokémon are not bound by human nature. While humans can become overly greedy, envious or dare I say it overly lustful, pokémon do not appear to be effected by such things either this or they can exercise greater control than we can. This is not to say that all pokémon are perfect, pokémon must survive too and will go to more extreme lengths if they need to. However, you should all know by now that NO pokémon is inherently evil and all can be befriended to become powerful friends and allies.

My colleague and close friend Professor Samuel Oak is the current leading scientist in this field of pokémon science and has spent his entire life studying the interactions between humans and Pokémon.

Some Pokémon also appear to undergo a type of metamorphosis during their life known as evolution. Normal metamorphosis happens in some animals such as insects and amphibians this happens over a long period of time and can be quite drastic. In pokémon it is even more phenomenal. Pokemon evolution is the changing of a pokémon from one form to another stronger, often larger, form. This takes place in a matter of seconds to minutes and is activated with various complex genetic triggers.

There is a multitude of ways to activate these genetic triggers which are essential to know about in studying pokémon ecology as this heavily effects the life cycle of many pokémon. The genetic trigger can be activated through age, strength, exposure to radiation, the learning of certain moves and most peculiarly from happiness although the exact triggers are unknown for this specific method. Some of these methods also require a catalyst to trigger evolution, this may be a specific item, time of day or even place in the world.

The final activation factor for evolution is down to the pokémon itself, evolution is very much a conscious decision that pokémon make. In the wild pokémon simply let themselves evolve when they are ready due to the survival benefits of being stronger or larger. However, it is sometimes the case that pokémon become attached to a lower evolutionary form and choose to stay that way for the time being.

Pokémon will only evolve when all the criteria for evolution is met. Forcing a genetic trigger can lead to awful results that can be painful or potentially deadly for the pokémon. I can therefore not convey the importance of not forcing a pokémon you own to evolve if it does not want to. I recommend researching the incident of the red Gyarados at the lake of rage for further evidence as to why forced evolution is a bad idea.

Evolution is one of the great mysteries of pokémon. Why is it that some pokémon evolve and some don't? Why do some pokémon have branched evolutions? Why do pokémon sometimes choose to remain in less evolved forms of themselves? Does this make them less complete? This book may answer some of those questions but once again I will recommend you to my good friend Professor Rowan and his research into Pokémon evolution if you would like to find out more.

Finally, is pokémon reproduction. Pokémon have gained a peculiar trait in that each Pokémon has what is known as an egg group. These are circles of pokémon that are compatible for interbreeding it is thought that these pokémon are more closely related however evidence for this is shallow and contradictory. I truly feel sorry for all those pokémon taxonomists out there.

It is unknown why pokémon egg groups exist but it is likely due to the genetic similarity between different pokémon. In the wild pokémon almost only breed within their own evolutionary lines however there are many exceptions to this. The most popular theory currently as to why egg groups exist is that it increases genetic diversity within a type of pokémon. This can lead to offspring learning new moves previously locked away from them and, although far rarer, the passage of unusual stat spreads and alternate forms for various pokémon. Pokémon variations are however a controversial topic as it is a very recent branch of research with very little surrounding the subject as of yet. Professor Samson Oak is currently in the Alola region researching the phenomenon I greatly look forward to reading into his findings there.

 **Pokémon types**

Now, as mentioned one of the major characteristics of pokémon is the incredible power that they wield. pokémon, depending on their environment and lifestyle will develop an affinity to certain elements. This determines a pokémon's typing. There are 18 currently known types that all interact in different ways in a complex web of relationships akin to an elemental game of rock, paper, scissors. These types are of most interest to trainers for these reasons as battling heavily involves the exploitation of these relationships to do damage to the opposing pokémon. However, through the lifestyle and ecology of a pokémon we can understand how this pokémon has come to possess this typing and its importance in a species survival.

Type classification is rather simple. A pokémon that can summon ice at will no doubt be classified as an ice type. If that pokémon also specialises in the use of their body in physical combat they may also gain the fighting type as a secondary typing. This kind of typing would arise with Pokémon that have evolved to exist in ice cold conditions where it would need to use overwhelming physical power to survive. This fighting type trait could be used to battle for mates or to simply blast through difficult obstacles it may encounter in such an environment.

A pokémon's typing is manifested though it's use of moves. Again this has most interest to trainers due to the variety of moves a pokemon can learn and how they can be used in battle. However, in the wild an ice/fighting type is likely to specialise in moves of this type to help them survive. This pokémon may also be able to use moves of other types such as a water type move. This does show the pokémon has an affinity to this type however it is far overwhelmed by the other two types leaving it largely ignored. This move however will have been learned in order to increase the survivability of the pokémon. Perhaps this pokémon once lived in the water or perhaps it is simply making up for its weakness against fire type pokémon allowing it to defend against fire type predators.

Pokemon moves in the wild are used for survival and are often learned at the stage of life when they need such abilities. The Pokémon League states that pokémon only have the ability to learn four moves or at least only 4 moves may be allowed to a pokemon in battle. However, this has not been proven to be the case in the wild. more research into this is required.

As mentioned there are 18 types and like evolution these are essential to the ecology of Pokémon and so I will give a basic run down as to the characteristics of each pokémon typing.

 **Normal** : not really a type but more of a lack of typing. Normal type pokemon are not strongly affiliated with the other 17 types however they if there is some affiliation to an element they may gain a secondary elemental typing. They are found all across the globe, in every possible habitat their greatest trait is there adaptability allowing them great fluidity in life style. A prime example of this is Eevee.

 **Flying** : This is a strange typing since there is not much that defines a flying type pokemon other than the ability to fly. However, the ability to fly is of course not an elemental affinity in most cases but a simple ability hence there are no confirmed sole flying types outside of rumours. All flying types have a secondary typing with most being normal and others having an affinity to the other typing making them more unique. Of course not all pokemon with the ability to fly are known as flying types for example Dustox and Beedrill. This is because both their types vastly outweigh the small flying trait that they have. Much like Normal types these have enourmous global distribution and while secondary typing may link in to their preferred habitats it is safe to say that wherever you go you are likely to see a flying type pokemon.

 **Grass** : A strange variety of pokémon that blurs the line between plant and animal. It is a known fact that grass pokemon must possess cells with a cell wall and vacuole in some section of their body and the proportion of animal to plant tissue often defines it's exact typing. Grass types are in my opinion one of the most interesting pokémon due to their environmental powers and ability to potentially create even forests in arid places. Grass types are most often found in temperate climates preferring habitats with lots of sunlight, water and shelter. Carnivorous species amongst grass types are rare but do exist.

 **Water** : The most abundant typing in the world. Not surprising due to the enormous percentage of the world that is covered in water. Water types have the remarkable ability that no other type has in that they can control the bodies water to produce a variety of effects. This can allow them to live in water, shoot powerful jets and even become pure water themselves. This does come at the price that all water type pokemon need water to continue survival and while all can survive on land for prolonged periods of time (even fish-like pokemon) all must at some point return to the water.

 **Fire** : All fire types have somehow managed to incorporate fire into their very biology through a range of ways. Some mystically, some chemically, some even literally. There is no other set rule that defines a fire type due to the differences in their ability to manipulate their personal blazes and so each study will go into detail as to how each pokemon produces their flames. They tend to prefer drier habitats such as mountains and deserts but some have a fairly extensive range.

 **Poison** : Poison types are incredible. All toxins from pokemon appear to originate from the same original molecule meaning they are all treatable with the same drugs however each toxin has apparently evolved independently in each species. Hence, almost every poison type has a unique application to these toxins. Whether they are used to break down food, capture prey or defend themselves all toxins remain peculiarly similar. Poison types can be found almost anywhere, some prefer urban environments these are often trash eaters however some do prefer forests and caves these are normally eat natural products.

 **Electric** : fast, powerful and often fragile electric types are truly the glass cannons of the pokemon world. All electric types have adapted what we call electrocytes in their cells. These can be localized to electrical organs like pikachu's cheeks or can run through the entire body like in a tynamo. These electrocytes work in the same way as in an electric eel however are much more powerful and much more potent. Like Normal Type pokemon have a vast range, they prefer wide open spaces like fields where they can run however smaller species prefer the shelter of forests. Some only exist in areas of intense electro-magnatic radiation like cities or mountains.

 **Ice:** Ice types are similar to water types however what sets them apart is their ability to use cryogenic chemicals to keep their internal water stable at freezing or near freezing. They have learned to use this in a plethora of ways to ensure their survival in some of the planet's most difficult environments. It is not a stretch to say that Ice types prefer cooler temperatures and therefore are less widely dispersed than most pokemon. They do often move away from the frigid regions of the world in winter for food however.

 **Bug:** Bug type pokémon are made up of pokemon that resemble insects, arachnids or other arthropods but not all count as bug types (looking at the crustacean-like pokemon here). They have an affinity to sound or light effects produced by their moves and often have a larval stage. These also have an enormous distribution perhps more so than most Normal types. Most do prefer forests however.

 **Ground:** Ground types are another odd one to define, they tend to enjoy burrowing in sand, dirt and clay which makes up a large amount of their diet and often body composition. They all have an innate connection with the earth and appear to harness its power. Strong and sturdy defines the ground type perfectly. Ground types are split into two types, either they love water or the HATE it. This is what normally determines their favoured habitats.

 **Rock:** Rock types use heavy minerals to augment their body. The amount of which determines there exact typing as many rock types also have a ground secondary typing. They often eat rocks themselves and spend most of their lives in mountainous or cavernous areas. They are known to be often nigh unbreakable and highly defensive. Rock types for the most part cannot stand water and so avoid large amounts of it by living deep in the mountains and deserts of the world.

 **Steel:** similar to rock types steel take mineral augmentation to the next level augmenting themselves with purer more metallic minerals. Pure Steel types are very rare due to the rarity of the metal they need for their diet. Pure steel types often gain their energies through methods outside of food like the photosynthetic ferrothorn or rarely eat at all, probopass. It is likely only through human intervention that steel types exist at all since we can easily produce the pure metals they crave most.

 **Fighting:** Fighting types are a lineage of pokémon that have taken to body augmentation through the use of martial arts and combat. They are often masters of battle which often becomes central to their lifestyle and survival. Through such mastery they can use a mystical power called chi which they use in battle. Humans can also achieve the ability to use this power. The use of this ability however requires them to adhere to a strict code of honour making them very disciplined and morally strong even in their natural habitats. Fighting types can be uncommon in many places you they are most likely to be found up in the mountains.

 **Dark:** Dark types are not evil! It is essential to destroy this misconception surrounding them. Yes, it is true that they enjoy the dark, are generally cunning and mischievous however that does not mean they are evil. Dark types command a strange energy that has no real known source. All we know is that it is associated with darkness and shadow dispels the psi power of psychic types and is repelled by Fighting types chi. Is it simple coincidence scientists use the term dark matter to explain the unexplainable?

 **Ghost:** Ghost types are another unexplainable phenomenon. They are characterised only by their ability to transverse through solid objects they can use this both offensively and defensively when attacking other pokemon. The origins of ghost type pokemon is unknown. Are they really the spirits of the dead? Are they the result of something less or more spiritual? Do they simply act like ghosts due to Human stigma or did they create the concepts of ghosts themselves?

 **Dragon:** Dragons are almost always reptilian in nature and have bodies that contain huge amounts of immense internal energy which they wield with volcanic potency. Very little can go up against a raging dragon due to their power however Ice appears to be the best absorber of dragon's energy and the new fairy types are immune to a dragon's power for currently unknown reasons. It should be noted that Dragon types are rare, solitary creatures often with enormous territories seeing a dragon type in the wild can be a once in a life time deal for most.

 **Psychic:** A powerful type that uses the mental energy of psi to effect the world around them. They are often attracted to areas with high spiritual levels and hence have peculiar lifestyles. An even more peculiar factor is the effect they have on humans and their ability to give certain humans psychic powers of their own.

 **Fairy:** the last of the 18 types and the most recently discovered or rediscovered as some suggest. Research is going into this type in an attempt to figure out what links these pokémon. Heavy influences and archaeological references to the moon may be a factor. We will hopefully have a better idea of what a fairy type is in the future but for more information I suggest looking to Professor Sycamore's research on the subject.

 **Space, dimensions and legendaries**

The world of pokémon is Vast with a capital 'V'. As such there are pokémon that cannot be studied ecologically because they fall outside this scope. Many pokemon fall into the realms of stories and are known as mythical or legendary pokémon. This is not a book of mythology however and so there will be few studies on legendary pokémon if at all.

The main reason is that, Legendary pokémon are extraordinarily rare so rare their very existence is under constant debate. Seeing one is not even a once in a lifetime opportunity. Many legendary pokemon are thought to be the only one of their kind, these generally fall into the category of myth. However, there are some that may have larger populations. One confirmed example is Shaymin which according to various sources congregate in a random flower patch across the globe annually. However, tracking down which flower patch they will congregate at is an impossibility without following a Shaymin there. This in itself is hard since they seem to vanish at every other time of year making them impossible to study in an ecological sense.

Another type of pokémon that we have an impossibility of studying is pokémon that are seemingly extra-terrestrial or even extra-dimensional. It sounds ridiculous and unscientific I know but they do exist. Unown are a prime example, on their own they appear to phase in and out of the world randomly with no rhyme or reason. Together they can distort reality and apparently have the ability to open portals to other dimensions. It is downright terrifying fact that such power exists and to be honest I am quite glad we cannot study them for this reason. As for pokémon that are potentially from space, there is rarely any concrete evidence to prove it however there are many things we don't know about pokémon that could be explained with origins in space. Why is clefairy so enchanted by the moon? Why does Starmie flash its jewel towards the night sky? How do we explain the origins of meteorite pokémon like Lunatone and Solrock? Do they come from space or is there a more rational reason for such behaviours?

There are many things we do not understand about pokémon and how they behave and many mysteries around their origins. There are things we simply will not be able to explain beyond mere conjecture and rumour. One day these mysteries may be uncovered but until then these exciting mysteries will remain.


	2. The World Turtles - Turtwig line

**Turtwig, Grotle and Torterra: The World Turtles**

 **~ * -()- * ~**

 **Name:** Turtwig – Grotle – Torterra

 **Types:** Grass – Grass – Grass/Ground

 **Abilities:** Overgrow/Shell Armour

 **Egg group:** Monster/Grass

 **Gender Ratio (M/F):** 87.5/12.5

 **Introduction:** I am most fond of the Turtwig line of pokémon for numerous regions. The first pokémon I raised was a Turtwig and he became my life long companion and a key contributor to my research. He was the inspiration into my fascination with wild pokémon. As many know Turtwig is given as a starter Pokémon in their region of origin, Sinnoh, where they are bred to be easy going companions for their trainers. We soon discovered the wild counterparts to these pokémon were quite different and this inspired us to get a greater glimpse into the world of wild pokémon.

While the Turtwig line is considered to be from the Sinnoh region this is not necessarily true. Like all the Sinnoh starter pokemon, Torterra and Grotle are actually migratory and travel the globe in what is often known as the Torterra archipelago or the Walking Forest in some places. They are incredibly hard to track down due to the randomness of the route they travel; every year however they return to their place birth, the Sinnoh region, to mate and rest before continuing on their journey.

Me and Torterra discovering the Torterra archipelago ourselves and travelling across the globe with them for an entire year was an experience I will never forget and one that has enthused my research ever since. So I'm sure you can all forgive me for my choice as to the first pokémon in my book.

 **Description:** All three pokemon in this line greatly resemble tortoises, they are quadruped (four-legged) pokémon with strong shells composed of hardened dirt and soil. Due to this all iterations of this line often have plants growing on their shells whether it be the seedlings on the shell and head of Turtwig to the mighty trees that can grow on the back of Torterra. A symbiotic relationship connects the plants and pokémon together until they become totally reliant on each other. A Turtwig's lifestyle and diet greatly influences the flora that grow on its back in later evolutions. The most commonly seen is a Torterra with a great oak tree on its back these are often one's raised by trainers in Sinnoh however numerous variants have been seen if a Turtwig is part of an archipelago or has grown up in an unusual habitat. It is well known that Torterra's incredible appetite they can only sustain a certain amount of plant life on its back this is often limited to a single tree and some small bushes and grass.

It is uncertain how the stoney formations get on Torterra's shell, toes and face but it is theorised that these are created from the indigestible rocks Torterra can sometimes eat when feasting on dirt. These are mostly used defensively but have their roles in general life too.

The average height Turtwig is roughly a foot tall with its weight being around 13kg. With each evolution this increases depending on the age of an individual and the amount the individual eats. The largest Torterra recorded was a whopping 5m tall not including the tree and nearly 20m from head to tail. It is unknown how much it weighed but on average Torterra's weigh between 1 and 3 tonnes.

 **Distribution:** As previously mentioned Torterra are migratory travelling both land and sea on great journeys across the globe. While there is one great contingent of Torterra and Grotle that migrate together there are many smaller herds that go on separate journeys away from the major group. Even these smaller herds however are normally quite large which leads me to the reason they migrate in the first place. Torterra themselves are huge and require enormous amounts of food and water to survive therefore if many stay in one place for too long it heavily damages the environment. This forces them to travel for food and water spreading the damage they cause more thinly. This actually has a more beneficial impact on the environment turning the soil for new plant life to grow and trampling the overgrowth of plants. Their migration path can pass through any terrain, be it the open ocean, high mountains, open plains or forests. They try to avoid incredibly enclosed spaces due to the sizes of some individuals but do enjoy habitats such as forests and woodlands due to their natural grass typing. They tend to avoid deserts, marshes and tundras since there is generally either too much or too little light and the soil is rarely nutritious enough for them to eat. Temperature also plays a factor causing them to prefer more temperate or tropical climates.

Even the strongest individuals must rest, when a herd does so they prefer to do this by cold running water in sunlit groves which is why they choose eastern Sinnoh as their mating grounds with its abundance of fresh water and trees. I will give more detail on this later. Torterra and Grotle sightings are rare due to being difficult to track down on the road especially when they swim. Hence they can only really be seen during mating season.

 **Ecology and Life history:**

 **Diet:** Due to the symbiotic relationships this line has as well as their unique characteristics and typings their diet is very unique. Photosynthesis occurs across the body. Turtwig is probably the most efficient at gaining nutrients from sunlight than their older counterparts due to their smaller size and decreased dependence on growing fauna on their shell. Grotle and Torterra use the plant life on their shell more than they do the photosynthetic properties of their bodies. Like in plants this process allows them to take Carbon dioxide, water and sunlight to make glucose and other fundamental molecules it requires for life. However, since these pokémon use far more energy than plants for movement and growth, photosynthesis is not quite enough for them. Hence they often supplement their diet by eating saplings and roots and leafy greens that they find by digging in the ground with their tusks or on leafy bushes in the wild. This gives them the rest of the energy required for growth, movement and evolution. Due to their photosynthetic nature these pokémon need enormous amounts of water since they lose a lot in respiration. A healthy Turtwig that drinks enough water should have a moist but hard shell. The others will have dryer shells but their health can be seen in the health of their plants. In order to develop their shells all forms of this line will also eat dirt and rocks, this boosts their defences hardening their shells and allowing them to form strong rocky formations on their shells toes and tusks.

Life History: Most wild Turtwig start their life in eastern Sinnoh around Eterna Forest. The dense forest provides them with a sheltered home with very few predators and an abundance of food and water. Here Turtwig live in small nest groups with their biological siblings, together they will both play and look for food together in a home range or roughly a kilometre. Nest groups often socialise with each other due to the lack of competition between them thanks to the abundance of the forests they exist in. It is however at this stage of their life when they are most vulnerable, while predation risk is low larger bug type pokemon and parasites are a threat to young Turtwig, Dustox and the rarer Nincada are the most common predators but disease and lack of nutrition can also be factors in the survival of Turtwig. While the migrations occur annually Turtwig can take up to 10 years to evolve into Grotle depending on circumstance. In the wild 50% make it to this stage.

Grotle can be considered the teenagers of this line, boisterous and occasionally quick tempered they enjoy throwing their newfound weight around. Due to this and their new size they prefer to leave the forests for more open land. Hence they move out into route 205 either south into the canyon or west towards Mt. Coronet both are abundant with fresh water and plant life to keep them fed as well as space to battle against each other as well as other local pokémon. They continue this lifestyle throughout much of the year until late May when the migration returns. One of the most incredible sights in the Sinnoh region occurs at this time for it is now when the walking forest fills the canyon on Route 205. Torterra and Grotle that have been travelling for the entire year finally return for mating season. In two short weeks younger Grotle discover all the pent up energy they have is derived from the energy needed to travel the globe. Inspired by this, after mating season is over the younger Grotle leave with the migration leaving their homes behind. They will travel for the rest of their life from here, at the start it is hard. They are less strong than the one's they follow and have less energy but it is common for them to ride on the older Torterra's backs if they need a rest. The migration follows a matriarch often the oldest and most knowledgeable Torterra in the group she will lead the herd to areas abundant with food and water to keep them going through out their journey. Grotle may travel like this for another 10-16 years before evolving and becoming sexually mature. Despite the companionship of the herd many do not survive up until this stage and fall either from exhaustion, disease or natural disaster. Of the original nest normally only one or two survive.

Upon evolving into Torterra and reaching sexual maturity things can get complicated. Among Torterra there are far more males than females meaning there is often great competition to get a mate. Unlike most pokémon which battle for a mate (although there is a bit of that) Torterra use the road to compete. It appears stamina is more attractive than battle prowess for a female which makes sense considering the distances they travel. Female Torterra will often choose a mate that spends its time at the front of the herd leading with a strong and healthy stature. This is sexual selection based on Torterra wanting the stronger parent so their offspring is also strong. Those who fall behind are considered unattractive and weak. There is however also an element of attraction in the maintenance and beauty of a Torterra's shell. If the shell is healthy with a wide range of fauna, then the Torterra will seem more attractive. This however is often to do with factors out of the Torterra's control. Mates are chosen on the road and the rejects simply live with it and wait to try again next year. Upon returning to Sinnoh copulation and egg laying occurs, this is typically a long ritual in which the pair find a clearing in the forest and lay their eggs deep underground. While this is happening seeds are dispersed by the plants on either Torterra's back into the now disturbed earth. Roughly 6 eggs will be laid per clutch with around 5-10 pairs per year. Torterra can live for an extraordinary amount of time but they all fall eventually. The oldest known Torterra is the current matriarch of the main herd, her exact age will unfortunately never be known (I have the scars to prove it) but she is predicted to be over 200 years old. Most Torterra live to be 80 to 100 in the wild and often fall due to exhaustion or old age.

 **Extra Notes:**

 **Symbionts:** A spectacular trait of Torterra is that they are quite obviously a walking ecosystem and can act in such a way. When this Pokémon rests animals and other pokémon are certain to populate its shell. It is known that some pokémon born on Torterra's back live there for their entire life. Due to their migrations this can often cause the distributions of these pokémon to increase. This has been used to explain how Wurmple arrived in Sinnoh and Starly in Kalos. Both of these are very common on the backs of Torterra along with many other flying types, Aipom, Cherubi, Burmy and more rarely even Treecko and Kecleon. These often end up in a very close relationship with their host Torterra, the Torterra provides them a home and nesting site and they provide the Torterra with company, shell maintenance, removal of parasites and often food if the Torterra can grow berries from its tree or bushes.

On the flora front as mentioned, the plants on Torterra's back are woven into the biology of Torterra making them practically the same being, if you punch a Torterra's tree they're gonna feel it and they're not gonna be happy. They share resources, the tree can provide food to the Torterra when there is little and vice versa, they work together to provide themselves with enough energy to travel and battle if needed. Torterra can pick up huge varieties of fauna the types can depend on the pokémon riding them. Bug types often attract flowering plants due to pollinating effects while bird types bring seeds from the berries they eat. The diversity of the flora and fauna on a Torterra is incredible and the study of these tiny ecosystems has been a joyful side project in my research.

 **In Battle:** Having a Torterra of my own has given me a fair amount of knowledge as to their battling skills. While Turtwig can be quite speedy, Torterra are slow pokemon and have no agility whatsoever. What the lack in this however they make up in tanky bulk and overwhelming power. They have a wide range of powerful and flexible attacks ranging on the side of causing physical damage to opponents. They use their moves with the fact that movement is limited for them and can creatively use their moves to be even more defensive. Whether it's an impenetrable leaf storm or stone edge wall their attacks can be used in a variety of ways.

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 **Turtwig was not actually my first pokemon in Sinnoh, I chose Piplup but i really love Torterra's design and inspiration so I chose this as my flagship.**

 **Please review - Let me know what you think of the format. Anything you feel is missing? It would be nice if people could learn about real ecology from this so let me know if you have any questions about something I've mentioned. Finally, if you have an idea of what you would like me to do next message me. I will do anything from Bulbasaur to Magearna to the best of my ability.  
**

 **Have a good one :)**


	3. The Slug Lords - Shellos line

**Shellos Line - The Slug Lords**

 **Name:** Shellos – Gastrodon

 **Types:** Water - Water/Ground

 **Abilities:** Sticky Hold, Storm Drain, Sand Force

 **Egg group:** Water 1/Amorphous

 **Gender Ratio (M/F):** 50/50

 **Introduction:** Shellos and Gastrodon are famously unique among pokémon for being prime examples of allopatric speciation. Native to the Sinnoh region, these pokémon have evolved two different forms due to the existence of two separate populations that are each separated by the mighty Mt. Coronet. Each population has evolved slightly differently due to the different marine environments on each side of the Sinnoh region – east and west.

As well as this Shellos and Gastrodon have some spectacular morphological features and hide many secrets within them. This makes one of the most interesting pokémon to study leading to the unusual situation of us knowing as much about them in the wild as we do in the pokéball. There are now many ongoing studies to see how Shellos and Gastrodon react to even more peculiar environments.

Personally, I have always been a big fan of these wonderful pokémon. I still feel bad for the number of Shellos I tormented in my youth. To this day my mother still sighs whenever she sees those purple mucus stains on my lab coat. I am unapologetic, Shellos are just so huggable!

 **Description:** Morphologically, Shellos and Gastrodon are quite similar. Both are amorphous slug like pokemon that change appearance depending on where they live and their main food source. Both have a soft but firm shell like back above a squishy underbelly. They do not have hardened bones like you or I but have instead a hydrostatic skeleton. This means instead of being supported by normal bones Shellos and Gastrodon are supported by simple fluid pressure. Muscular channels evenly filled with this high pressure fluid makes up this type of skeleton. Its kind of like an impenetrable balloon filled with water keeping the animals structure. The tough muscles that surround the channels are designed to protect and control the fluid within allowing for this pokémon to easily change its shape and movement. This is most obvious when Shellos extend their heads above shallow water. This type of skeleton is also common among invertebrate animals and has translated somehow into this pokemon.

Both Shellos and Gastrodon have an amphibious nature and hence can breathe both in and out of water. Their underwater breathing apparatus take the form of numerous appendages that act as naked gills on the exterior of the head. This is one of the major functions Gastrodon's horns and Shello's head appendages. These also have a secondary function as sensory organs known as rhinophores. They are chemical sensors which act similarly to our noses but work best underwater. These allow for Shellos and Gastrodon to hunt underwater and avoid polluted water. These are highly vascularised and very delicate and can hurt the pokémon if treated poorly. Breathing out of water is done through the mouth into a pair of primitive lungs. This is as efficient as the naked gills allowing these pokémon to actively live both above and below water.

Shellos and Gastrodon both have 3 very advanced eyes (Shellos has only two fully functional with the third hidden and used mostly for basic light sensory) that can adapt to whether the animal is above water or below. It is unknown if the pokemon can see in full colour above water.

The posterior appendages on the back of these pokémon are also hugely interesting. They are known as Cerata and they come in many shapes as seen when comparing Shellos forms. These outgrowths of the body that are an outlying section of the digestive system. They are what I like to call recycling organs. The cerata is filled with millions of tiny sacs that can recycle the best parts of this pokémons prey and use them to benefit themselves. For example, shellos that eat hydrozoans and corals in the ocean can recycle cells within them known as nematocysts. These are stinging cells only found in these creatures and jellyfish and upon recycling can be used as another form of defence if Shellos is in danger. They can also steal other organelles such as chloroplasts allowing for photosynthesis and mitochondria allowing for more efficient energy gain. This is not hugely adapted in this line but there is potential for great things to come in this line's future if it can fully master this technique. Expect Gastrodon's knowing Solar beam in the future!

In ancient times, we believe Shellos and Gastrodon both had huge shells that protected them from physical attack. This was lost completely nearly two million years ago however traces of the shell can still be found beneath Gastrodon's upper skin cells. These traces of an old shell are thought to be what gives Gastrodon it's secondary ground typing… although that may actually just be because Gastrodon likes the mud. We predict that over time the shell reduced and was internalised before it was lost entirely. Now you may be questioning why this is a valid survival strategy. Surely Gastrodon is now more vulnerable. Well you'd be correct except for the existence of this lines most innovative adaptation. Instead of physical protection Shellos and Gastrodon have chosen to use chemical defences to deter predators. Gastrodon and Shellos secrete foul tasting toxins when threatened in the form of purple mucus that stains like hell upon contact, sorry mum. Naturally any predator is going to be deterred by this taste protecting Shellos and Gastrodon from being eaten. There is another theory that these pokémon exhibit aposematic colouring. This is when an organism makes themselves obnoxiously coloured to warn predators to stay away, if you eat me you're not gonna like it. The main argument agaisnt this however is West Gastrodon's rather plain brown colour.

While the size of Shellos and Gastrodon is heavily influenced by the amount of food they can consume there is not a huge amount of variation. Shellos are generally only a foot tall while the size of Gastrodon can range from 2 to 3 feet tall while up to 5 foot long from front to back.

 **Distribution:** Shellos and Gastrodon are native to the Sinnoh region but can also be found commonly in the wilder parts of Alola and rarely in Hoenn and other more tropical regions.

Shellos and Gastrodon prefer temperate to tropical seas and are not fond of living in fresh water. They are amphibious and move freely between the sea shore and the tidal zone of the sea this is often dependant on the weather. It appears they dislike rough seas and powerful currents because of their relatively large amorphous bodies and so will move to land if it is stormy. They enjoy the rain and love to roll around and splash in muddy puddles. When the weather is calm or the sun is too hot they are more likely to be spending their time in tidal pools and coral reefs where food is abundant. They dislike and will actively avoid areas with poor water quality.

 **Diet:** The diet of Shellos and Gastrodon is fascinating because this is what has affected their forms. The difference between east and west Sinnoh is the marine environment and therefore food. West Sinnoh is noticeably rockier and more temperate than the east. It hosts a wide variety of corals, anemones and hydrozoans which Shellos feed on. Shellos has developed some immunity to the nematocyst stingers of these organisms however they can be overwhelmed by large amount of the toxin so larger organisms are protected. These Shellos and Gastrodon can recycle the nematocysts to their cerata to defend themselves against fish that want to take a bite out of it. It is this diet that gives Western Shellos and Gastrodon its pink and white colouration.

East Shellos lives in a region that is far warmer with more sun. East Sinnoh's oceans are therefore abundant in photosynthetic algae's and underwater mosses. This is what Shellos mostly graze on. This is far safer feeding than in the west but more must be eaten to reach requirements for living. Fortunately eating photosynthetic organisms comes with an interesting advantage. The cerata of the eastern Shellos line can recycle chloroplasts allowing for a small amount of photosynthesis in the eastern Shellos. For this reason, the cerata of the eastern Shellos line are far more fin like in shape and when spread out under the sun can provide a small amount of nutrition. This is what gives Eastern Shellos and Gastrodon their blue and green colouration.

Both forms supplement their diet with seaweed, berries, grass, dirt, small invertebrates and even the odd Tentacool.

 **Life history:** Shellos eggs are almost never found on land. They are often hidden between the rocks of tidal pools. This is where Shellos is born. There is no parental care from Gastrodon so Shellos generally must fend for themselves. This is not too much of an issue due to the abundance of their major food stuffs however they are still at risk of attack from their natural predators.

Many fish pokémon, particularly the more carnivorous variations will attempt to take a bite out of either Shellos or Gastrodon. Remoraid and Magikarp however often find the consumption of an entire Shellos to be incredibly difficult so settle for only the odd bite when the opportunity presents itself. They will often swarm the Shellos to confuse it allowing entire shoals to feed at once. Other major predators to both Shellos and Gastrodon include Carnarvha, Gyarados, Wingull, Floatzel and the Mareanie line. Shellos and Gastrodon do have their natural defences as well as remarkable regenerative abilities however and can repair lost body parts within hours. I will go deeper into this later.

Shellos are mostly benthic pokemon living on the ocean floor however they will come onto land when it isn't too hot or it is raining. They often do this to play amongst others of their species or to feed on terrestrial plant life.

Shellos evolve naturally after roughly 4 years of life. Here they become sexually mature and will begin to mate. Gastrodon are known to be monogamous after attaining a single life-long partner they will live and travel together occasionally laying eggs throughout winter and spring before moving on to find more food. When two Gastrodon of different forms mate, it is the male's form that is inherited by the young. If this form of Shellos is born on the wrong side of the Sinnoh region it will be very maladapted for the environment and will often die rather quickly, this makes inter-form breeding very rare. A Shellos cannot change its form during life but we believe after a few surviving generations the form can change somewhat.

After evolution the average lifespan of Gastrodon is 6 years however far older Gastrodon have been seen. Gastrodon, like all pokemon, when bonded with a human can live extraordinarily long. It is unknown why this happens in pokémon and is the subject of a lot of research.

 **In battle:** Gastrodon is a powerful pokémon, with its ground typing it is completely immune to electric and poison type attacks protecting it from many pokémon that could be potential predators. It also resists many of the more physically powerful types such as steel and rock while also being able to get around their powerful defences with their own special water type attacks such as water pulse or muddy water.

While it is a very slow pokémon it makes up for it with insane amounts of health. It takes time to wear down a Gastrodon making it an excellent wall. This is greatly benefitted by Gastrodon's ability to recover quickly in battle. It's natural defences also greatly benefit Gastrodon in battle as well these often come out in Gastrodon's hidden power move.

Some Gastrodon can also act as a water sink in some cases, its storm drain move makes it immune to the already weak water moves and attracts them to increase its power. It's adhesive abilities also make it an immovable pokémon too.

Gastrodon's only major weakness is to Grass types. Sending your Gastrodon up against them is near suicide in battle and it will likely benefit the opposite trainer more due to moves like Giga Drain and Leech Seed.

 **Extra notes:** There are two final interesting things to note about Shellos and Gastrodon that I felt each needed their own section. Both were briefly mention before but I will now go into further detail.

 **Allopatric speciation:** This occurs in normal animals when two populations are separated geographically. This can be by a canyon, a mountain or even an ocean. If there are two separate populations that cannot interact, they cannot breed and share their genes and so each population will begin to evolve separately. Their evolution will move in the direction that most benefits the environment they live in. This can mean two populations in two different environments will evolve in two very different directions. If an animal from each population then meet long after this evolution, they are likely to now be so drastically different that no fertile offspring would be able to be produced by them. By definition, this means they have now become two different species that share a common ancestor.

As you can see Shellos and Gastrodon are prime examples of this kind of speciation. Due to the rise of Mt. Coronet the two populations of Gastrodon have been separated and cannot interact with one another. Due to the different marine environments on each side of the Sinnoh region different types of food has become more abundant. Shellos and Gastrodon that have been separated have had to alter their diets in order to adapt to these changes. Over the ages this has caused each population to evolve in a different way changing their morphological forms to something more suited to eating their respective foodstuffs. Among animals this would often mean that the animals would become separate species unfortunately pokémon once again show how much of an enigma they can be.

Due to the evolution of egg groups among pokémon the different forms of Gastrodon who share the same egg groups can still interbreed quite happy with no consequence. It should also be noted that while Shellos and Gastrodon have undergone a form change they are still biologically very similar anyway which is why we still count them as the same pokémon species. This eludes us to the fact that this form change is a more recent occurrence than their shared shell loss. It is a possibility that adaptability is simply another ability that this pokemon has meaning it would only take a few generations for this pokemon to change form again. This is currently being investigated in the labs of the Sinnoh region's Battle Frontier.

 **Regeneration:** The regenerative ability of Gastrodon is one of its most incredible but lesser known features. Of all pokémon without psychic abilities Gastrodon likely has the most powerful regenerative abilities known to us. Gastrodon is often too large for most fish pokemon to eat so most of the time only chunks of Gastrodon are removed at a time. It is because of this we believe Gastrodon evolved this regenerative ability. As far as we are aware Gastrodon has incredible control over its own cell cycle. It is believed this is mostly subconscious but Gastrodon can quickly progress the regeneration process consciously if in battle or in danger.

Research has concluded that when a Gastrodon feels pain its brain triggers hormones to be released from a gland just above the heart. These hormones are specific to certain areas of the body and stimulate the increased proliferative ability of cells in that area. This means more cells are produced in a shorter amount of time leading to faster healing. Through some rather gory reports of attacks on wild Gastrodon. It appears that Gastrodon can successfully regenerate even if half of its body is lost. Gastrodon cannot however regenerate its head, brain or heart in time for it to survive such injuries.

While we understand the basic principle of this regeneration there are still many mysteries surrounding this phenomenon. How does Gastrodon reform complex tissues and organs so perfectly where so many other creatures cannot? How does increased proliferative activity not give Gastrodon cancers like it would in humans? Is there a way to utilise this regenerative ability in modern medicine? It is these mysteries that make Gastrodon so fascinating to science. I look forward to the future of science and this pokémon.

 **Folklore:** I figured with all this complex science going around I'd give my wonderful readers a little cool down using this little completely irrelevant section of each report. The Folklore of Pokémon is incredibly interesting to dabble in due to ancient people's interactions with them. The number of pokémon that were once considered god is quite humorous.

Gastrodon while not a pokémon considered to be a god was once known as a divine beast amongst ancient people. In the ruins of Sinnoh there are numerous cave paintings of the mighty sea god Triton riding an ancient Gastrodon (with a shell I might add). It was believed that Gastrodon with its crown-like horns ruled the ocean as a lord with many other pokémon bowing to it.

There is other imagery of Gastrodon battling Gyarados for dominion over the ocean. Back then the sea serpent was likely feared by people for the destruction it could bring. Gastrodon however appeared as a shield against the oncoming storm and the story probably fell into a tale of good vs evil amongst common folk.

Just thought these little titbits I found would be interesting for you all. Until next time!

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 **I hope you enjoyed that because I certainly did. Sea slugs are insanely interesting and so nice to look at I did a huge amount of research on them and implemented a lot of information about them in real life into this chapter. Things like cerata, rhinophores, regeneration and the purple mucus all come from various species of sea slug collated together to make gastrodon the lord of the sea slugs. This along with finding the answers as to why this pokemon had two different forms made this chapter really fun.**

 **As you can see my answer to the two separate forms was allopatric speciation. This is probably the main way species evolve in the real world and while it does not work 100% here due to pokemon breeding mechanics I did try to explain what would happen if this were in the real world. If you would like real world examples of allopatric speciation look at darwins finches on the Galapagos islands which are caused by dietary changes like Shellos and the differences between bonobos and chimpanzees due to their separation by the Congo river.**

 **I do feel like these chapter are enormous info dumps so let me know if it seems overwhelming or if you have any ideas on how to improve my writing style.**

 **A huge shout out goes to _im-probably-sleeping_ who requested this chapter I hope you got the answers you were looking for and more :)**

 **Anyway please fave, follow and most importantly REVIEW! Which pokemon should I do next? What would you like to hear about?**


	4. The Aura Guardians - Riolu line

**Riolu Line – The Aura Guardians**

 **Name:** Riolu - Lucario

 **Types:** Fighting – Fighting/Steel

 **Abilities:** Inner Focus/Steadfast/Justified

 **Egg group:** Field/Human-like

 **Gender Ratio (M/F):** 87.5/12.5

 **Introduction:** Lucario and Riolu are extraordinarily rare, so much so that we have no idea where this species of pokemon originates from. Packs of Lucario can be found almost all over the world yet never in any extreme abundance. It is possible that they have always had this incredible range due to their mysterious and extraordinary abilities.

For most people, Lucario are only ever seen on the television screen battling amongst the strongest of the strong. Thanks to this people have a very misguided concept of Lucario, they look at this pokemon as a steadfast, intelligent warrior with mighty strength and peculiar powers. While this is true they are only looking at Lucario under a certain light. It is incredibly rare for someone to catch a Lucario or Riolu in the wild so many of the Lucario you see on the television have been raised from birth into the calm, noble warriors they are on screen. Lucario in the wild vary quite vastly, instead of noble guardians it is probably more apt in the wild to see them as wolves.

 **Description:** While that may have been a little harsh on these astonishing creatures it makes for a good image especially since this pokemon is so canine in appearance. Although it is thought Lucario once walked on 4 legs, in modern times all Lucario appear to be mostly bipedal. This frees their forelimbs for other functions such as fighting and hunting. Both Lucario and Riolu have supremely tough skeletons with Lucario skeletons becoming almost metallic in nature. This bone protrudes at the knuckles of Riolu as round bumps these become the spikes on Lucario and can manipulated by the pokemon to produce powerful metal claws.

Lucario are famous for their ability to sense and manipulate a mysterious power called Aura. While it is unknown truly what this energy is, there are theories which I will talk about later. Both Riolu and Lucario are aura sensitive it is well known that the sac-like appendages below the ears of both Lucario and Riolu play a huge role in this. These are essentially a sixth sensory organ allowing the pokemon to read aura emitted by other living organisms. These appear to rise when they are focusing on aura.

It is thought that aura is the power that gives Riolu and Lucario their fighting typing as it can be used to enhance their strength, stamina and endurance to incredible levels while also allowing them to pre-emptively predict attacks and track prey. Lucario packs are known to communicate entirely through the reading of one another's aura and are therefore often totally silent in the wild. This has an effective range of over half a mile making them undoubtedly the best pack hunters in the pokemon world. Another incredible ability of Lucario's enhanced control of this power it can even be used offensively in spheres of explosive energy, Riolu are known not to have this amount of control.

 **Distribution:** As I have previously mentioned it is unknown where Riolu and Lucario originally came from and packs of them are incredibly rare. Fortunately, I have been lucky enough to be allowed to peruse what little data we have on studied wild populations of Lucario. As far as we know Lucario can be found almost globally. No wild Lucario have been recorded in the far east but rumours suggest that there are a few packs in the Sinnoh region.

There are however a few Riolu and Lucario populations that are currently being tracked and studied. The places we know that have a Lucario pack are: South-West Unova, Poni Island of the Alola region and the southern Kalos mountains.

Thanks to Lucario's incredible stamina and strength a pack can move over entire mountain ranges overnight. They move incredibly quickly making it very difficult to track them without the expensive use of satellite tracking. This can give them an enormous home range that can potentially span entire regions. This is however proven unlikely since the population in the Alola region is contained to a single island containing 3 packs.

Lucario have no real preference in habitat so long as there is an abundance of food. They have been thought to prefer mountainous regions but have been seen in forests, tundra, plains and even deserts. They change their hunting strategies depending on their environment making them incredibly adaptable to both prey and environment.

 **Diet:** Riolu and Lucario are mostly carnivorous and hunt in parties of 5-7 Lucario. They must therefore hunt prey far larger than themselves to share amongst the pack and any offspring there may be. They commonly therefore go for large animals or normal typed pokemon and have become incredibly adapted to the hardships of this form of food gathering. The Alolan packs have been recorded to hunt large bovine pokemon such as Tauros and Miltank separating them from herds and tiring them out to catch them, when pickings are slim however they will ambush Gumshoos and Raticate. In the Unova region they seem to prefer large undulate animals like deer or Sawsbuck but they are not against stealing from farms in this region and will often prey on Mareep and Watchog.

They do however supplement their diets with fruits and berries to keep them healthy. They very rarely eat the plants themselves.

 **Life History:** Lucario and Riolu are naturally social animals. They live in packs of 6 to 12 with a mix of young Riolu and older Lucario. Lucario are predominantly male and hence there is intraspecific competition amongst males to mate with a rare female. Males will fight over a sexually active female often very violently but never fatally. This is how a hierarchy is developed there are two tiers: The alphas, who lead the pack and produce offspring and the betas who are the hunters of the pack bringing back food, the hunters also take it in turns to take care of the alphas' Riolu pups often under the watch of the male alpha who rarely hunts and prefers to train the pups. The female Alpha generally leads hunts when she is not pregnant and is quite often the strongest in the pack.

Litters of Riolu are normally 2-3 pups in size once a year, most of these survive to evolution due to parental care however from there there is a 33-45% mortality rate. Lucario are viviparous with gestation lasting 2-3 months from July to September. It is done this way to increase the female's survival rate. Reproduction is an expensive affair and so must be done in times of abundance to allow the young to develop properly and the mother to stay healthy.

Due to the alpha not hunting as often, he often becomes less fit making it easy for another Lucario to take the role the next time the female is fertile. This helps maintain genetic diversity somewhat but the main way genetic diversity is maintained is by rejecting a Riolu pup when it becomes a Lucario. If the pack has reached critical mass where there is not enough food to support the pack any new Lucario are driven out by the alphas to start a new pack on their own. This will always happen to the first few females a mother gives birth which avoids mother-daughter competition. It is common that younger Lucario in the pack will leave with this female due to the increased mating opportunity. This is often a gamble, if the mother then has no more daughters the pack must find a new one themselves by invading another pack. Also if a pack splits it means they must hunt smaller, easier and often less nutritious prey.

It is also important to note that Lucario are incredibly territorial and there are often fights over territory boundaries. Unusually though they do have overlapping home ranges and while a lot of time is spent within their own territory, packs will often venture outside for unknown reasons.

The triggers that cause a Riolu's evolution are uncertain. It is likely related to the pokémon's aura sensitivity due to the intimate link Riolu and Lucario have with this energy. Among different populations it appears evolution can occur at very different times; it is unknown what effects this and whether it influences the pokémon's total life span. Generally, Lucario can live for 10-14 years in the wild.

 **In Battle:** As mentioned before battle trained Lucario and wild Lucario are very different. In the wild the moves and abilities a Lucario learn are primarily to make it an incredible hunter. Its aura abilities allow for silent long distance communication as well as prey tracking. Offensive abilities can create explosions to startle prey into going towards a trap or can be used to take down prey in an ambush or after a chase.

These abilities that were originally used for hunting have translated into modern pokemon battles well. Lucario's range, flexibility and strength make it a powerful adversary. One moment it could be firing aura spheres left, right and centre the next it will be right in your face unleashing its brutal bone rush attack. That doesn't even include its passive use of aura, in battle trained Lucario this sense is trained to near perfection allowing it to predict attacks, read the emotions of its opponent and even allow for near telepathy with its trainer.

The largest difference between wild and trained Lucario is this use of aura. You could almost see it as an unlocking of potential thanks to the effect a human has on a pokemon. Trained Lucario are more aware to other auras outside of its own and that of its pack making it the selfless, justified aura guardian it is famed for being instead of the wild wolf it is in the wild.

 **Extra notes:**

 **Hunting Strategies:** Lucario are the best pack hunters in the pokémon world, with a combination of power, speed and intelligence their success rate is far higher than many other creatures in the world. Lucario work together to subdue prey and maintain their relatively high dietary needs. Lucario are very much opportunists they will weed out the weak and vulnerable testing the organism using aura to find the more infirm pokmon around. Lucario only resort to ambush when trapping prey or in times of desperation; they are not stealth predators but endurance hunters. They will drive their prey to exhaustion by chasing it over miles before going in for the kill. This is all to reduce the overall resistance of the prey. This is important because it is common that Lucario will be injured during a hunt and in the wild this is often fatal.

Lucario are very adaptable with their hunting, in the tundra they use their padded feet as snow shoes to carry them over the snow using this they drive their prey into deep drifts of snow slowing them down and trapping them before they go in for the kill. In forests and plains, they will often drive prey into dry river beds where round stones will trip them up and potentially injure the prey.

The success rate of Lucario hunts are roughly 40% with pokemon and 70% with animals. Lucario tend to target animals less because they are always smaller and less nutritious than pokemon, a Lucario requires 3 average sized does to feed a pack a day in the wild while 2 Tauros may feed an entire pack for a week. Pokemon do however have a much higher risk due to pokemon resisting with moves and the fact that pokemon are more intelligent and social the risk is often worth it however for Lucario.

 **Aura:** There are many theories as to what Aura truly is. All we currently know is that it runs through all living things and it is intimately linked with emotion, personality and willpower. Lucario and Riolu are the most naturally aura sensitive beings we know however there are rumours that there aura sensitive humans exist.

My personal theory is that Aura is an extension of chi. Chi is the energy controlled by fighting types that enhance their physical power and endurance. It is stimulated by physical activity, training and meditation. Very similar to Aura. It is my thought that Aura takes this to the next step combining both physical, mental and emotional energies to produce a new energy that can be manipulated to produce even greater results than Chi can. This would explain Lucario's fighting typing and explain why other fighting types can also be slightly aura sensitive.

Unfortunately, due to the spiritual nature of aura and the rarity of Lucario we are unable to truly experiment on aura to answer our questions. So, for now we are left to theorise and let our imaginations go a little bit wild. My favourite thing to do!

 **Mega Evolution:** Mega evolution can be a very controversial topic in science. While it has apparently been around for over 100 years it has only recently become, known and studied in the past decade. Hence there is very little known about it. Mega evolution seems to be a temporary form change of pokemon taking its power above and beyond what it is originally. This can change pokemon drastically revealing hidden typing's, powers and abilities. Trainers that wield mega evolution state that 3 things are needed to allow a pokemon to mega evolve. A key stone held by the trainer, a mega stone containing the pokémon's DNA and a powerful bond between trainer and pokémon.

You may be asking why I am bringing this up, well the stories suggest that the first pokémon to mega evolve was in fact Lucario. Lucario is also the most commonly seen mega evolution on television since a few famous trainers have Lucario that can mega evolve. Namely Korrina, Gym leader of Shalour city in Kalos and protector of the Tower of Mastery and the recent Champion of the Kalos region. The observed effects of Lucario's mega evolution with these trainers was a dramatic increase in power and aura sensitivity taking it to levels I never thought possible and a style of attack that could only be described as heartless.

There is a huge amount of mystery surrounding the power of mega evolution however it is currently being studied with extreme fervour by scientists. Hopefully the mysteries behind this phenomenon will be unveiled soon. And do not worry I shall be sure to keep you updated on any findings that come up.

 **Folklore:** As I'm sure you can imagine with such interesting pokémon there must be some interesting legends surrounding them, and you'd be right.

Within ancient tombs found near the world's largest desert are enormous untouched murals depicting incredible pictures of ancient times along with peculiar hieroglyphics. One such mural depicts a man with the head of a Lucario holding a par of scales, on one side is a feather on the other is a heart. The heart weighs more than the feather. The next panel shows a heartless man being torn up by wolves. Looking at the hieroglyphics surrounding the mural it is believed this man is the god of judgement deciding whether you were fit to go to the afterlife or not by weighing your heart against a feather. It appears even in ancient times we knew of Aura's links to personality I feel it is no coincidence that this deity is depicted to have the head of a Lucario. It is likely that Lucario were revered in the past as deliverers of this god's judgement. 'Messengers of death' is a term used often in these tombs to refer to lucario. It just goes to show how the world has changed considering the public opinion of Lucario in present day.

Another ancient legend revolving around Lucario and one I was very fond of in my foolish youth is the well-known legends of the aura guardians. Aura guardians in the stories are men and women said to be protectors of peace, life and justice. Great knights travelled the land protecting the innocent from evil alongside their powerful Lucario. There are many tales involving Aura guardian's the most famous being the Sealing of the Serpent, the Collapse of the Hallowed Tower and Battle Below the Tree of Beginning. Each story is a tale of the tragedy, sacrifice and heroism of an aura guardian and their partners that inspire people to this day.

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 **This chapter was great fun, Lucario is such a popular pokemon being a semi-pseudo legendary with great stats. It is also one of my personal favourites. Since the Mystery of Mew movie I loved the idea of it and loved uncovering the hidden truth beneath the surface. The fact is thanks to the movie and the games we look at lucario as a pretty heroic pokemon yet it is nothing of the sort.**

 **My thinking on this originally came from when I got Lucario in pokemon sun and its pokedex entry mentioned it being a predator which is a terrifying thought considering its powers and how it became heartless when it mega evolved. I thought what if mega evolution returned lucario to its base traits of being a ruthless apex predator and loved it.**

 **While lucario is more based on a jackel than a wolf I thought a jackel's life style didn't really suit lucario so I went for the more savage route. I decided to start thinking of lucario as a true big bad wolf style animal instead of a pokemon for this which was great fun.**

 **In terms of mega evolution I have been working on a theory with _Johnny Sceptre_ around how it works biologically which like a lot of my more complex ideas and concepts will be revealed piece by piece as this story gains more chapters. So i do apologise for not revealing everything at once ;p**

 **A big thank you to Fitzfrancis G874 for requesting this chapter it was a fun one and I hope you enjoyed it. Please fave and follow for more and please review if you have any requests, comments or theories. I'd love to hear them.**

 **Up next: Pichu - Pikachu - Raichu: The Thunder Mice!**

 **See you next time :)**


	5. The Thunder Mice - Pichu Line

**Pichu Line – The Thunder Mice**

 **Name:** Pichu – Pikachu - Raichu

 **Types:** Electric – Electric - Electric

 **Abilities:** Static/lightning rod

 **Egg group:** Field/Fairy

 **Gender Ratio (M/F):** 50/50

 **Introduction:** There are no doubts about it; Pikachu is famous. As one of the most widely distributed electric types in the world and with fame both in and out of battle along with its adorably cute looks Pikachu is beloved amongst the entire world. This line of pokemon is fast and powerful, commanding electricity with (for the most part) incredible skill. Thanks to a certain famous trainer who springs to mind at the mere mention of Pikachu it has become the pokemon mascot of the Kanto region where it is thought to have originated.

With the Pichu line being so abundant there is much less mystery surrounding it than many other pokemon. They are a very well-studied pokemon both in battle and in the wild and many specifically trained Pikachu are often used by us to keep society running whether it be in our power stations or by our police forces sides. I, myself, have my own Pichu, Sparkles, who often helps me out around the lab in her own special way. She is most certainly the cutest little lab assistant I've ever had (don't tell that to my wife).

 **Description:** Now in all seriousness the Pichu line is made up of electric types which makes them far more complicated biologically than they are cute. The line is most similar to the animal kingdom's rodents and is a mammalian pokémon. It is viviparous giving birth to live young and can lactate after gestation providing young Pichu with sustenance before it can forage for itself.

The yellow fur of Pichu and Pikachu serve as a warning against predators much like the bright colours of poison types it lets potential predators they are likely to be shocked if they come too close. It is also common knowledge that the brightly coloured spots on Pikachu and Pichu's cheeks indicate where its electrical glands. The colour of these glands can be used to assess the health of these pokemon.

Electricity generation is complicated in pokemon and many pokemon have unique methods in which to produce and channel electricity. Pikachu exhibits perhaps the most common form of electrical generation by using specialised cells known as electrocytes to generate and store electricity. These are specialised nerve cells that have become separate from the Central Nervous System to become what is known as the Voltron Nervous System. I will go into further detail as to how this generates electricity in the extra notes since it is not hugely relevant to this section.

The major electrical organs of the Voltron system in Pikachu are the electrical sacs in Pikachu's cheeks and the grounding nerves inside Pikachu's tails. While the system does run around the entire body these are where the major function of electricity generation and discharge is performed in the pokémon's body. In wild Pichu these are relatively undeveloped leading to the poor pokemon shocking itself upon accidental discharge. It appears the development of this system is a major evolutionary trigger for the pokémon.

Raichu are an interesting case, while they do exist in the wild they are quire rare. This is due to their need for a thunderstone to evolve. This is an evolutionary stone that some electric type pokemon react to causing them to evolve into new permanent forms. Research is being done into how this works in many different pokemon. Once evolved Raichu take on a more amber colouration and it gains a dramatic increase in control over electricity generation and discharge. It is said that Raichu can instantly knock out even an indian elephant. It's tail is now a long and wire-like organ filled with Voltron Nerves used for electricity conduction into the tail which is used to fire powerful lightning bolts in whatever direction Raichu needs.

All three pokemon are primarily quadrupedal however they do have the ability to walk on two legs, this is often known as scouting as it is used to spot predators while others of their own kind may be feeding.

 **Distribution:** Pikachu are thought to be native to the Kanto Region and have spread all across most of the eastern hemisphere from here; from Kalos to Kanto. It is quite incredible how successful they are even with many competitors.

Pikachu are shy pokemon of humans and civilisation. They tend to live in deep forests which provide cover from bird pokemon and keep them sheltered from humans. There are some colonies however that seem to enjoy existing in more built up areas especially near power plants and sheltered gardens. They are however a rare sight even in areas where they are common as they are more likely to run into hiding when approached by a human than attack like other pokemon may.

 **Diet:** Pikachu like many rodents are generalists. They are not picky about what they eat whether it is small invertebrates, berries or even grass. They do tend towards eating berries however since they are filled with electrolytes such as potassium and sodium which are required for electricity generation and are filled with sugars to keep it active. Pikachu are very efficient foragers and can eat a good amount before it will feel full.

Pikachu can also produce electrical energy though absorbing electricity such as lightning, this means less of what they eat must be converted into electrical energy and more can be used in the body. It is common that a Pikachu with an excess of electrical energy will share it with its peers in order to keep it healthy. This is common social practice for the animals thought to originated from when Young Pichu play producing little sparks between them.

 **Life History:** The life history of the Pichu line is very like rodents. Pichu are born in litters of 2-4 and spend the first few days after birth completely helpless and unable to move. The parent pokemon will feed their young using milk until it is safe enough to forage. Young Pichu need constant care and attention due to their severe lack of electrical control. Pichu are prone to accidently shocking each other in the nest it is therefore important that the mother is around to absorb and discharge any electricity they release. This normally lasts two weeks. After this point the Pichu will begin to follow their parents on foraging trips where they will be taught the ways of the world. What is safe to eat, what is dangerous, etc. Pichu at this age are both naturally curious and filled with playful energy, a terrible combination. This often gets them stuck in precarious situations. The life of the parents is hard and even with 2 pairs of vigilant eyes something can quite easily go wrong.

There is no real set time at which Pichu evolve, it is not seasonal since Pikachu often live in areas where there is an abundance of food all year round. As mentioned it is believed to be triggered by the maturation of the Voltron Nervous System. Once a certain level of control is attained the Pichu will evolve into Pikachu. At this stage, they are often kicked out the nest to fend for themselves. Pikachu are very social creatures and will commonly form large gatherings in the areas where they live. It is common for every family of Pikachu to congregate nearly daily. Pikachu that are let loose into the wild world are primarily solitary foragers however they are far more social at this stage of their lives than in any other. This is due to their drive to find and attain a mate.

Social interactions between Pikachu are very complex and not well understood. Physical contact is a huge part of their social behaviour likely remnants of their stages as playful Pichu. Pikachu will often play together in various fashions. It is understood that one of the primary ways they communicate is through the discharge of sparks in close proximity. When Pikachu touch tails or rub cheeks, it is almost like they are chatting in a reasonably intimate fashion. How well two Pikachu can communicate in this way and get along is a huge factor in Pikachu's sexual selection. Pikachu adolescence lasts at least a year before they settle down, they mate for life so take time to find the right partner. After this comes the near yearly cycle of mating.

Pikachu and Pichu mortality rate are however very high, they have many enemies and especially in their youth can struggle to defend themselves. Flying types such as Fearow and Pidgeotto are a common threat as well as Ekans and Persian. Life is tough for Pikachu.

Wild Raichu are extraordinarily rare. Raichu evolve upon contact with the rare evolutionary Thunder Stone. These are often found buried deep in the earth and are rarely found by Pikachu. Most Raichu are raised by trainers who have access to thunderstones through mines and shops. In the rare occasion a Pikachu does evolve into a Raichu one of two things appears to happen. The Raichu will either stay and become the protector of a population of Pikachu, this is common is the Raichu is old and has mated numerous times. Or the Raichu will leave the pack and live a solitary life this generally occurs among young pokemon who have yet to settle down and are therefore rarer. These kinds of Raichu are much more brusque and feisty, they are far more likely to challenge trainers and other pokemon to battle and can often chew above their weight leading them to be heavily damaged or caught by inspired trainers.

Pikachu can live from 8-12 years in the wild while Raichu can live well past 20. This of course is different when the pokemon has a trainer where numerous factors keep the pokemon healthier for longer.

 **In Battle:** As I'm sure we all know from these recent and exciting years of Kanto's Pokemon league, Pikachu has proven to be a very versatile and powerful pokemon in the arena even before it evolves. It is a Pokemon that has incredible speed and agility and despite its size it can pack a mean punch if it has too. Raichu is very much the same but typically more powerful with its greater electrical control. Lt. Surge and his Raichu are famous as war heroes and are now proud leaders of a powerful gym in Kanto. A reliable pokemon to be sure.

In the wild it is a very similar case, as very few Pikachu evolve in the wild, so simply on its own it must be powerful enough to defend itself against predators. With speed for evasion and powerfully long range bolts of lightning for deterring threats, Pikachu is well equipped to look after itself especially when it is in a group. It is said that a group of Pikachu can summon a thunderstorm to defend themselves from danger. All this with a surprising amount of physical power makes it a reliable pokemon. I would certainly recommend Pikachu to trainers starting their journey's.

 **Extra Notes:**

 **The Volton Nervous System:** The Voltron nervous system is an extension of the peripheral nervous system. Both develop at the same time in the same way in the embryo of the pokemon. Then the cells that are to become the Voltron nerve cells differentiate apart from the peripheral nervous system. Cells in this system look and act much the same as normal nerve cells. Dendrites and terminals are connected using synapses with a long myelinated axon between. These axons can run the entire length of the body and when clumped together like in Raichu's tail can be hard and wiry. Charge is developed using clusters of millions of these cells reduced into what is known as an electrocyte with a reduced axon. These electrocytes are lined up in parallel in areas such as the cheek sacs, and in small patches along the spinal cord and tail. They generate electricity by producing an action potential; opening up ion channels on the cell surface causes massive depolarisation changing the electric potential in and around the cell. This change in electric potential generates an electric current in a similar way to a battery. With all the electrocytes stacked on top of each other, constantly in use, huge amounts of charge can build up. Once built up discharge is as easy as opening a floodgate. Pikachu and Raichu discharge electricity out of their tail other electric types support a different strategy.

An electric pokemon's voltage must be carefully maintained for its own health, this is very important do if you are raising an electric type yourself keep an eye out for any signs that could suggest an issue. If a Pokemon has too little electricity it will become tired and sluggish in this case let it feed off some household electricity to bring it back up to speed. In more serious cases of electrical deprivation it is best to seek medical aid, signs of this will be lethargy, depression and lack of appetite.

On the other side of the spectrum lack of exercise can lead to a build up of electricity, this can be incredibly uncomfortable for electric types as their body normally has a natural capacity that they can hold. You will be able to tell if your pokemon is like this if it is fidgety, shaky or potentially aggressive. The best solution to this is to let it go out on a run or to discharge some electricity in an intense battle. Electroparalysis is one of the most serious problems electric pokemon face and it can be fatal in the wild. This is when a pokemon is so filled with electricity that its nervous system seizes up and paralyses the pokemon. In this situation, the pokemon does not have any control over its nervous system and therefore cannot discharge the electricity by itself. Pokemon normally have very good control over their electricity so this is an extreme circumstance. It has been known most often to occur when a pokemon has recently been struck by a powerful bolt of lightning while not correctly grounded. If this happens to your pokemon get it to a pokemon centre immediately, they will be able to safely discharge your pokemon.

 **Alolan Form:** A new form of Raichu has been rumoured to exist in the far off Alola Region. One that surprisingly floats on its tail through some kind of electric ability. It is currently unknown how this new form of Raichu has come about or why it can float however I am sure there will be more reports about it in the future.

 **Folklore:** Pikachu being a well-known pokemon has little folk lore surrounding it. They are known by many cultures as bringers of bad weather and have in the past been seen as bad omens. They also were incredible crop pests in the past not helping their case either. It is surprising that it is such a well-loved pokemon now considering its previous reputation but I guess that is the role of good media.

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 **Hey all, sorry for the lack of updates I've just had 2 months of solid uni work, but now i'm finally free I can start writing chapters again. This was a surprisingly fun pokemon to do. I based their general life style on rodents such as mice but with the added complications of Raichu's peculiar evolution and their electric typing made it very interesting. My theory on how they produce electricity is heavily based on the way electric eels produce electricity HOWEVER I have altered it significantly to fit into a fictional world. In truth electrical production in this fashion can only work in a good conductor such as river water. Air is not a good conductor and so an animal would have to be able to produce enormous voltages for this to be practical. Using electrocytes like eels do would make this impossible since they simply would not be able to produce enough power to achieve these voltages. Hence i have altered it/twisted facts to suit the pokemon.**

 **As for the extreme lack of detail on the alolan form of raichu. I cant apologise for it, so little information is given on alolan raichu there is no explanation that I can come up with to explain why could evolve like this. There are fan theories my favourite being that malasadas gave it psychic powers but I don't think that was totally serious.**

 **Ah well, i hope you enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to the next one. Please review :)**


	6. The Horned Demolishers - Rhyhorn Line

**Rhyhorn Line – Horned Demolishers**

 **Name:** Rhyhorn – Rhydon - Rhyperior

 **Types:** Ground/Rock

 **Abilities:** Rock Head/Lightning Rod/Reckless/Solid Rock

 **Egg group:** Monster/Field

 **Gender Ratio (M/F):** 50/50

 **Introduction:** Ah, the Rhyhorn line, a natively common pokémon to the rockier regions of the world but most often seen side by side with man. These pokemon are known for their incredible capabilities in aiding people in manual labour. Rhyhorn are commonly seen among building sites performing menial tasks while their seniors, the Rhydon, perform far larger tasks that require greater coordination. This species is also famed for its incredible destructive abilities. Rhydon can knock an entire skyscraper down safely with a mere sweep of its tail and Rhyhorn are, of course, not to be underestimated either.

In the Kalos Region Rhyhorn are also commonly raced in the Rhyhorn Racing Royale an event that has grown immensely popular in recent years due to the charm of the pokémon involved. Rhyhorn are known to be clumsy yet affectionate partners adding to the love their trainers have for them. This is not however a book on the details of Human/pokemon interactions but an account of their ecology in a more open environment.

Rhyhorn are common to mountainous regions and savannahs, they are generally solitary territorial Pokemon making it unusual to see more than two in any one area at once. They can be rather aggressive in the wild so when observing them a suitable distance should be kept. Don't worry they will let you know if you're too close befpre charging. They are covered in horny rock like hides and have incredible defences making them difficult prey. This does not however stop the strong and capable.

 **Description:** Rhyhorn rely on four short stubby legs to get around, protecting its softer underbelly. Despite their stout posture, they have the skeletal structure similar to that of a mammal allowing them to raise their body enough to gallop at nearly 30mph if angered or in danger. Once reaching this speed in a charge however, they struggle to change direction. They also have incredible stamina allowing them to run for miles and miles until it forgets while it started running in the first place.

The prominent horn and incredibly well armoured head and body serve as its main defence. Large spikes and bulges along its carapace protect it from the few predators it competes against. The horns main use is in digging up roots and tumours in the ground which it eats. It can also be used to smash and break through any obstacles in its path. At this stage the horn is of the same structure and material as its carapace a heavy rock like armour filled with protective minerals. Upon evolution into Rhydon the horn develops a steely quality and develops some interesting muscles allowing for the horn to spin like a drill head.

It has nostrils above its mouth and aural orifices to each side of the head. While its sensory organs are not diminished, but with such an enormously thick skull there is little room for the brain. The brain of a Rhyhorn is considered by many to be underdeveloped. This is not true at all since many Rhyhorn show the same intelligence and maturity of their evolutions. This does not change the fact that Rhyhorn can and will get distracted easily and will forget things commonly. Scientific studies have shown that smashing into something does in fact help it remember things. Why? Who can say?

Rhydon is similar in morphology to Rhyhorn however it is bipedal using an extended and powerful tail to maintain balance on two legs. Its head is shorter and more domed. With the spinning horn on its head its skull has become a far more efficient tool for breaking things. A headbutt from one of these pokemon can throw a concrete block over quarter of a mile away.

Being able to do such incredible things and have such power is the result of a collection of powerful adaptations in Rhydon's body. Many are present in Rhyhorn but in a much more primitive stage. The powerful drill on the head, bony plates that act as armour, bones that are 1000 times harder than our own and a dense muscular network that acts as a suspension system for when the pokemon does make a heavy impact.

Rhyperior is an interesting case as they are almost never seen in the wild. There is thought to be good reason for this however. I will discuss this in the notes.

 **Distribution:** It has been proven that Rhyhorn are native to the mountainous regions of the kanto and Johto regions. They have a wide distribution however extending across much of the northern hemisphere even all the way to Kalos.

As mentioned they are partial to rocky regions where there is a good amount of greenery and rocks for them to graze on. They are also common in savannahs as well. Rhydon prefer more mountainous areas with plenty of caves to dwell in. Rhyhorn prefer open areas.

Rhydon have intra-sexual territories. This means that territories that are controlled by males and territories controlled by females are independent from one another. Hence a male will share land with one or more females but will not share their land with another male. Females are the same and will share with males but not females. This protects both sexes from competition allowing the females to protect and look after their young and the males to safely mate with other females without the interference of other males. Most territorial conflicts occur close to when females become fertile. When this happens, males will become more aggressive in expanding their territory so that it overlaps with more fertile females. This leads to greater reproductive success if a Rhydon is strong enough. On average, territories are 5 square kilometres in size however it is completely based on strength and how well one pokemon can manage their territory making it a challenge to have a territory larger than 7 square kilometres.

 **Diet:** The Rhyhorn line is around 50% herbivorous, feeding on leafy greens, sprouts, roots, and tumours that they come across. The other 50% of their diet is made up of rocks and soil that they will also graze on. Pebbles often help grind up the plant material and can be digested and used to build on the rocky carapace that covers their body. Much of the day is spent feeding however very little is needed to keep them going since the only thing they really need the energy for is travelling and fighting.

 **Life History:** While there are sexually mature Rhyhorn in the wild, it is more common for Rhydon to be the more reproductively dominant stage of evolution. This is because at a more mature evolutionary stage will find it easier to defend offspring and find food even in times of little. Rhyhorn are viviparous, giving birth to live young, gestation lasts 4-6 months and normally only one Rhyhorn per term is born.

Baby Rhyhorn are born without the stony plates they are known for. This makes them quite defenceless when they are young. It is during this time that the mother Rhydon is most aggressive attacking any pokemon that even gets close to defend her young. It takes roughly 3 days for the baby to learn how to walk and move and an entire month for the rocky plates to finally form. At this stage from horn to tail the Rhyhorn is only 3 feet long and from there is quickly weened of its mothers milk.

Mother Rhydon will take care of their young for over 2 years as it grows. In this period, they will teach them how to live, what is safe to eat and how to protect themselves. As they grow they will often shed their plates to allow them to grow larger. After the 2 years, they will be full grown at 7 feet from horn to tail and 3-4 feet tall. At this stage, parental care ends and the mother will drive their offspring away to find a new territory. It is highly unlikely that mother and offspring will see each other again after this point.

Rhyhorn will build themselves a territory where they can however this is an incredibly dangerous time for them. They are the weakest of the free living Rhyhorn and Rhydon and may have to fight far stronger Rhyhorn to maintain a territory. Such fights can lead to fatal injuries meaning that only the most powerful or most cautious survive. It can take quite some time for a Rhyhorn to become mature enough to evolve. For some it can even be 30 years before evolution into a Rhydon however the average is around 10-16. Upon evolving Rhydon become far more sexually active, males will be constantly on the look at for a rare fertile female. Any female that enters its territory is fair game so long as it does not already have young. In this case the female will be defensive against the male to protect her young. It is a dark truth that a male will attempt to kill a young Rhyhorn in order to bring a female back to fertility.

Rhyhorn and Rhydon have very little in the way of threats; for the most part Injuries from battles and disease are most likely to be their downfall. Rhyhorn are under threat from some incredibly powerful pokemon that reside in the same regions. Garchomp, Druddigon and Tyranitar are common predators of Rhyhorn with jaw strength enough even to break through Rhyhorn's tough hide.

 **In Battle:** The Rhyhorn line is bulky and slow. However, what they make up for in lack of speed they make up for in superior defense and attack. They are durable, able to take physical attacks like a champ making them good walls in tag team battles. The drill on their head is formidable landing a blow with that can even lead to 1 hit KOs however the easiest methods of attack for a Rhydon to use its its powerful tail or ability to grapple and throw foes. Rhydon makes a valiant sentinel of any team against the physical but its greatest weaknesses are those who use range and special abilities to attack. Water and Grass types are Rhyhorns greatest foes on the battlefield as they are easily able to get between their defences. An intelligent fighting or steel type may also be able to overpower this lines powerful defence so be aware.

 **Extra notes:**

 **At Work:** Due to Rhyhorn and Rhydon's strength and stamina they are pokemon often used for manual labour. Rhyhorn due to its stature are often used to pull heavy loads in carts and are also used for digging in mines or clearing land. Rhydon is far more versatile and due to its increased intelligence is used for more complicated higher risk tasks such as demolition and construction. The Rhyhorn line is not only used in construction work but also in agriculture, transport and even in the military.

 **Body Modification:** Now I'm sure you have all noticed that I have had little to mention about Rhyperior. The main reason being that the number of Rhyperior in the wild barely goes over 30 pokemon and all of these were once trained pokemon that have been released. Rhyperior are simply not wild pokemon and there are theories as to why this is.

For many years Rhydon and Rhyhorn have been used for hard labour. To increase the effectiveness of their work scientists used to modify the bodies of Rhydon using protectors. These would increase their already incredible resistance to heat and electricity allowing them to do even more tasks in even more arduous environments. This started off rather simply however as the use of protectors became more common more modifications to Rhydon were made. Scientists found they could biologically engineer Rhydon's body relatively safely through selective breeding. Selective breeding is when pokemon or animals are chosen to be bred for particular traits such as strength and size. Rhydon were specifically bred for size, muscle density, hide thickness, and intelligence. This along with body modification using protectors lead to a new manmade evolution for Rhydon. This became ingrained in the genetics of Rhydon that there was a further evolution and spread amongst the natural population. Thus, the precursor to Rhyperior was born.

Rhyperior however has numerous muscles, organs and structures that cannot be explained purely through selective breeding and evolution. Included in this is the second horn on its head, the large wrecking ball on its tail and the powerful muscles found in its arms that can be used to launch projectiles. This is the point where we can no longer look in the history books to find an answer. The origin of these structures is genuinely a mystery, there are however theories.

The first and most commonly excepted is that over time the evolution of Rhyperior slowly adapted to the modifications given to its body and evolved these structures to further increase its effectiveness in a natural way. This is theory is most commonly accepted because of the nature of pokemon evolution. Great morphological changes occur with pokemon evolution so it is not particularly difficult to imagine that Rhyperior could have adapted to create these tissues as it evolved from Rhydon. The drawbacks to this theory however come from professor Rowan's research on unnatural evolutions where he states that all natural tissues of an evolution are also present in the previous form. They may have a different form or function but nothing new is created in a natural evolution. He states that Rhyperior gains many new arm muscles it did not have as a Rhydon to produce the firing mechanism in its arm which acts as evidence against this theory. The same can be said for Machamp's extra arms that are completely unique tissues not found in either Machop or Machoke.

The second theory is the most unfounded and hardest to prove due to the lack of knowledge we have on the subject. It states that Rhyperior is in fact a mega evolution of Rhydon that has become permanent. It uses the theory that the protectors used to induce the evolution act as a mega-stone and when fused with the body of Rhydon cause it to permanently mega evolve. While this could be the case, considering the power of mega evolution and the changes pokemon go through, however there are too many holes in the theory that cannot be explained. Mega evolution is known to be purely temporary and it normally requires a mega-stone and a key stone and an incredible bond between trainer and pokemon. None of these seem to be present with this evolution.

The final theory seems like it came from a diary of conspiracies. It is noted that Rhyperior is an incredibly powerful pokemon and appears to be far more designed for combat than nearly any other. Nearly every part of its body appears to be designed to be either offensive or defensive. Especially the areas deemed to have no precursors in the previous evolutionary stages of Rhyperior such as the arms, horn, protectors and wrecking ball. It is thought that these extra tissues came out through further body modification of Rhyperior potentially through the manipulation of Rhyperior's genetic code. This theory comes with some heavy ramifications. It is claiming that Rhyperior was not only designed unethically but that is was designed by someone to be a weapon. They state that the abundant use of Rhyperior in many military factions proves the source of this. Such military factions state that they use none of their pokemon as weapons nor do they put them in danger in such a way. They claim Rhyperior are only used for heavy labour much like they are used in construction of agriculture. There is no real evidence to back this theory up and it is mostly conjecture but it bears thinking about.

 **Convergent Evolution:** Before I go into detail into convergent evolution I need to explain the concept of an ecological niche. An ecological niche is the space within an ecosystem that an animal or a pokemon fills. Each species of pokemon fills at least one niche within its environment. This niche is an accumulation of the factors and ways a pokemon and its environment interacts.

Every pokemon must fill a unique niche in order to survive, if another pokemon species arrives and occupies the exact same niche it leads to competition between the two species leading to the potential extinction of the less successful pokemon. In practice this rarely happens as niches are more flexible than that. In a situation where one pokemon is facing competitive stress, it will expand its niche to survive. Hence niches are more likely to overlap rather than be directly related however the more two pokémon's niches overlap the more likely it is that two pokemon cannot live in the same environment.

For example, Zubat and Pidgey are two pokemon that share a similar food source and location, they both eat small invertebrates and are therefore in competition with each other for that resource. However, Zubat are nocturnal while Pidgey are diurnal meaning they are never hunting at the same time. Zubat are more likely to prey on the invertebrates that come out at night while Pidgey are more likely to prey on invertebrates that come out in the day hence they are never in direct competition and can survive in the same environment together.

If Zubat was diurnal they would be in direct competition leading to conflict between the two species. Eventually the lesser species would be driven out especially if there was a lack of food. This is a very simple example and truthfully there are many other factors which can affect such interactions such as type, favoured habitats, reproductive cycles, nesting sites, abundance, time foraging, ability to battle etc. Due to this there is practically an infinite number of niches that can be filled.

You may now be wondering why I'm even explaining this. While there are an infinite number of niches that can be filled, the Rhyhorn line has almost perfectly filled a niche that another pokemon also occupies; the Aron line. Many people have looked at both Lairon and Rhyhorn and Aggron and Rhydon and seen many similarities: both are mountain dwelling rock types that eat both minerals and plants, both are highly territorial and are highly maternal when rearing young, not to mention their morphologies are incredibly similar.

Both Pokémon lines despite living miles apart from one another fill incredibly similar niches in a situation known as convergent evolution. Both have adapted to their niches in a similar way which is why their morphologies are so similar to one another. This is one of the best circumstances of convergent evolution seen in the pokemon world which has led to a lot of research into what causes the differences between the two pokemon.

The biggest differences between the two lines is the steel typing of the Aron line compared to the ground typing of the Rhyhorn line. This has been attributed to their diets. The Aron line is native to the Hoenn region known for its mines, tunnel systems and of course Mt. Chimney volcano. The earth of Hoenn has an increased metal concentration in its soil which the Aron line has adapted to use in its armour plating. Rhydon live in far more earthy habitats and have not adapted this trait.

Another difference actually has a major effect on their distribution and is thought to be the main reason why either line will outcompete each other in different environments. Rhyhorn is warm blooded like a mammal. This means it can control its own internal body temperature with just the food that it eats and its metabolism. The Aron line is more reptilian in nature and is in fact cold blooded. It gains heat from its surroundings rather than producing it itself. This tends to mean that the Aron line are more likely to succeed in the warmer areas of the world where it can absorb heat faster and be more active. In colder areas, however the Aron line will struggle to survive because it will not receive enough heat from its environment to stay active enough to forage for food and reproduce. It is in these areas that the Rhyhorn line have the advantage being able to survive at colder temperatures so long as it has enough food to upkeep its internal body temperature.

Therefore, we find more of the Aron line in the southern hemisphere of our planet and more of the Rhyhorn line in the northern hemisphere. Upon interaction, it is this factor that will cause one of these lines to outcompete the other.

 **Folklore:** I had to really scrape the bottom of the barrel for this one. There is surprisingly little in the way of folklore for these pokemon. In the past, especially in desert cultures, only the bravest or the most foolish would hunt Rhydon this was because it was practically impossible even with pokemon of your own. Hence, what most would consider a trophy, in these cultures, if someone came home with a Rhydon skull they were often scorned as people who merely found a Rhydon skull by the road side and shamed even if they had truly defeated a Rhydon.

In modern times Rhydon is the face of the Pokemon league across the entire world. Nearly every official gym will have a Rhydon statue at the entrance it is supposed to represent 'solidarity in the face of challenge' and is quite the inspiration to young trainers.

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 **Boom, done. This one was again suprisingly fun. Rhyhorn and Rhydon are not pokemon I've ever used properly in game I have a strange aversion to rock types in general but this line just never made my teams. Still it was interesting to do some research into them and decide how they would interact in the wild. I took inspiration from a lot of influences specifically studies on Rhinos and theories into the ecology of ceratopsids dinosaurs. A big decision was whether they would be herding pokemon or not but considering they are seen in mountains mostly in the game I decided it would be best if they were solitary. I am still debating whether I'm comfortable with the idea they males and females have independent territories or if I got the size of the territories right but hey maybe someone can fix me up on that one.**

 **It was actually JohnnySceptre that recommended this one too me with a curious thought about how I would describe the similarities between the Rhyhorn line and the Aron line. There were two real explanations really either they evolved from a common ancestor or they convergently evolved as described above. I've always felt the Aron line was more reptilian and the Rhydon line was more mammalian so decided against a common anscestor. Convergent evolution made far more sense to me.**

 **Anyway thank you for reading, I do hope it was enjoyable. Please leave a R** **eview as to how you felt about the chapter it really helps with my writing as I attempt to make it clearer and easier to understand despite the topics that come up.**

 **Until next time!**


	7. The Mysterious Eyeballs - Unown

Unown!

Unown is an ultra beast!

I'm convinced.

I don't make the rules

Happy Halloween ;D


	8. The Forest Kings - Treecko Line

**Treecko Line – Forest Kings**

 **Name:** Treecko – Grovyle - Sceptile

 **Types:** Grass

 **Abilities:** Overgrow/Unburden

 **Egg group:** Monster/Dragon

 **Gender Ratio (M/F):** 87.5/12.5

 **Introduction** : The Treecko line are notoriously hard to find in the wild. This is for various reasons, they are cryptic in behaviour and only inhabit the deepest and oldest forests. Each evolutionary tier also acts in a way that makes them hard to track and find. Whether it be the static colonies of Treecko that gather on ancient oaks and rarely leave, the constantly moving packs of hunting grovyle or the secretive nature of the solitary Sceptile. Their colouration aids them spectacularly, despite the red band of their bellies. If any of these pokemon do not want to be seen in their natural habitat, they will be all but invisible to anyone searching for them. This has made this line of pokemon incredibly difficult to research however using what we already know about this pokemon along with the latest in field research technologies such as trip cameras and radio and satellite tracking we have been able to discover far more about the kings of the forest.

 **Description:** The entire Treecko line is a collection of bipedal reptilian pokemon. Bipedalism likely evolved as being able to use two hands was incredibly advantageous to the species. Treecko for example is largely bipedal and can stand with a straight spine and square hips however when climbing up trees or flat surfaces it adopts a typically reptilian sprawling posture to do so. Due to its light weight (11lbs) and highly adapted finger scales treecko can easily scale walls without the need for claws or dexterous fingers; it can even walk upside down on glass. However, as treecko evolves into Grovyle (47.6lbs) and eventually Sceptile (115.1lbs) they begin to weigh more and therefore require other ways to get around and survive in the wild jungles they call home.

By becoming bipedal developing strong powerful legs and evolving dexterous fingers and claws they have developed a new way to get around. Using speed and agility they are able to move around their home with incredible ease. Grovyle and Sceptile are incredible runners and tree climbers making them incredibly dexterous hunters in the forest. If they come to an area that is too dense for them to get through they can forge a path using the leafy blades that adorn their wrists. These leaves begin to grow from birth but are kept flat against the skin of Treecko so as not to get in the way; upon evolving into Grovyle and eventually Sceptile they grow out and toughen enough to slice down entire trees. The leaves are used by the pokemon for photosynthetic reasons as they are filled with powerful chlorophyll. The energy created by this is stored in vacuoles in the leaf cells which can then be used by the pokemon as energy for its attacks. By channelling the energy into the leaves, they can become razor sharp allowing Grovyle to slice through the undergrowth with incredible ease.

The tails of these pokemon are incredibly interesting. In Treecko the tails resemble seed-like tumours commonly found on ferns and pines. These are filled with sensory cells that can sense humidity and temperature. This allows the pokemon to predict upcoming weather and prepare. Upon evolution, these lobes expand out into leaves, two on Grovyle that fuse into a great bush upon evolving into Sceptile. The tail of Sceptile is remarkably hardy and is a great physical weapon for the pokemon as well as a fantastic source of energy created by photosynthesis. Sceptile develops two lobes on the crown of the head of similar function to the tails of Treecko.

Sceptile sports 6 yellow nodes on its back, these are solar nodules that can absorb and store incredible amount of energy from both the sun and Sceptile's diet. Within them are mini biochemical labs that can create any biological compound an organism may need to survive. Sceptile can use these to provide nutrients to their home forests.

 **Distribution:** As mentioned these pokemon are rare. Few colonies will be seen in any region and these will be incredibly hard to find and interact with. The species are known to mostly be found in untouched ancient forests. They prefer forests with dense plant life both on the ground and in the canopy. The density of plants in their forest does not hinder their movement around it in the slightest allowing them to rule the forests they live in. They are often found in more tropical forests and jungles but are also known to live in more temperate woodlands.

While Treecko have a small home range of around 500m around their home tree. Grovyle and Sceptile can have enormous home ranges and are often constantly on the move. It is predicted one Sceptile can rule over 100 square kilometres of forest. Sceptile are incredibly territorial they will know exactly what comes in and out of its forest and will defend it from any threats with its life. The control Sceptile have over their forests is what gave them the name Kings of the Forest.

Globally it is unknown just how wide the range of these species is simply because they may exist in a region and never be seen. People often believe if there is a large forest or jungle in the region, there is little doubt a Sceptile will reside there. We do however know that the species originate from Hoenn which was once covered in jungles thanks to the fertile land provided by Mt. Chimney and its tropical environment.

 **Diet:** Sceptile and its pre-evolutions are ectothermic pokemon, this means it does not need to generate its own body heat like humans. Due to this they can actually exist for long periods of time without food since they do not have to use it for heat. The entire line is made up of omnivorous opportunists. They take advantage of whatever is in season. They vary their diet between fruits and berries, large arthropods and small mammals.

Treecko typically go for smaller insects that are easy to hunt and berries that they will often cultivate themselves. Grovyle with their wide hunting range and ability to hunt in packs often find small vertebrates to eat or will scavenge larger kills. Sceptile is far more easy going, it will hunt when it needs but typically relies on what the forest readily provides.

All three pokemon also have the ability to photosynthesise and often do so in the midday sun basking in the canopies of trees. This provides them with many organic materials they cannot receive from their normal diet.

 **Life History:** The breeding populations of this line are mostly made up of Grovyle. Sceptile are often too scarce and will rarely interact and Treecko are usually too immature. A mother Grovyle will lay a clutch of 7-15 eggs underground at the base of its home tree, this is where it was born and where all its descendants will be born. The Grovyle will then leave to re-join its pack.

The eggs take over 3 months to incubate kept warm by the soil. When it is time to hatch the baby treecko will break out using an egg tooth which is immediately lost. They will then dig their way up out of the ground in the opposite direction to gravity. Baby Treecko will immediately become attached to the first tree that they see which is often the mother tree. Here they live in large multi-familial colonies of up to 100 depending on the size of the tree and the resources around it. Treecko can live like this for 2-3 years. Here they learn how to fight hunt and cultivate trees in order to create a sustainable environment for the next hatching. Evolution as with many grass types is often a group event. At this point Treecko will have formed colonies based on complicated social interactions over time favouring particular groups known as cliques. Each clique will consist of 5-9 pokemon and are often of mixed gender. They evolve together and leave to claim hunting territory. Of course one forest can generally only accommodate a certain number of packs which can lead to some major territorial disputes that can end up quite violent and sometimes even lethal. Surviving packs roam the forests leaving territorial scratchings clearly on trees. They spend most of their time basking in the canopies of forests using the evenings and early night to hunt before they run out of energy. Breeding happens once a year in late autumn kicking Grovyle into a frenzy that can often break up groups. There is a lot of competition for mates due to the skewed sex ratio of the line. Generally, a female will choose a male mate with both battle prowess and well-maintained leaves however cunning Grovyle may also get lucky and steal a female while other males compete. Contraception is a quick affair and immediately after the mother Grovyle will return to the home tree to lay its eggs avoiding all other interactions along the way.

Most pokemon in this line die of unnatural causes either predation or competition will drive them to death. Very few will live long enough to evolve into Sceptile but those that do become the veritable kings of the forest they live in and live similarly to Grovyle but with a solitary lifestyle. They tend to be more antisocial avoiding contact with any other pokemon or people unless they pose a threat to their homes.

 **In Battle:** Sceptile are fast and agile pokemon. They are nigh unbeatable in their natural habitats using their agility, practical invisibility and speed to wear down their opponent. They will hide amongst the vegetation and attack blind spots using moves such as bullet seed, leaf blade, X-scissor and leaf storm. They have reasonably low defences specially to fire and ice however their speed and ability to detect, dodge and quickly guard against attacks allows them to survive long battles. They are masters of guerrilla warfare and have incredible patience often willing to lose a battle to win a war. They are truly a fearsome pokemon and a force to be reckoned with both in an arena and out.

 **Extra notes:**

 **Walking on walls:** Treecko have incredible adhesive abilities and can walk on even the smoothest surfaces without the use liquids. Their toes are padded with many microscopic folds and hairs creating a large surface area. These folds are arranged to attract van der Waals' intermolecular forces which are incredibly weak between the beta-keratin molecules of the toe pads and the surface. These are a type of electrostatic force that emerge from the dipoles of chemical compounds. The high surface area of treecko's toes creates enough of this electostatic force to allow the pokemon to walk upside-down on glass. This adhesion is increased with humidity and moisture making improving the pokemon's adhesive ability in tropical environments and on rougher surfaces. However, this begs the question: how does a gecko overcome its adhesive ability? Well similarly to how double-jointed people can bend their fingers back Treecko can also do this. Using double jointed fingers they can peel their toes off surfaces very quickly in order to move quickly.

Treecko's adhesive abilities are lost in its later evolutions in favour of manoeuvrability and gripping claws.

 **Solar Nodules:** Sceptile is famous for its bright yellow solar nodules on its back. These are seed like protrusions that can be compared to tiny organic biochemical labs bursting with nutrients. Packed with organic molecules it is thought that any organic sugar, lipid and protein can be made within using a complex network of enzymes and many biochemical processes such as photosynthesis. They appear to be reminiscent of leguminous nodes and are thought to work in a similar fashion with the added ability of being able to absorb sunlight.

The evolutionary story of how these came to be is largely unknown. They are a source of constant scientific research as being able to harvest these nodules could prove to be incredibly valuable to the realms of medicine and biochemistry. Wild Sceptile are often sought out as those that are trained often have reduced nodules and far weaker biochemical ability than those raised in the wild.

In the wild these nodules are thought to be used to help give trees potent nutrients that allows them to grow too far greater sizes that would be possible naturally. It is known that they can be plucked from sceptiles and planted beneath roots where they dissolve spreading the nutrients into the soil. How the Sceptile know to do this or have the ability to know precisely what a tree needs are unknown. It is assumed they evolved this to help protect and nourish their homes and major food sources as well as to be used to store fats and sugars which can be used when Sceptile needs energy for example when it is fighting. Nevertheless, this is truly an incredible adaptation and proof of the wonders that walk out earth.

 **Mega Evolution:** Sceptile is a pokemon that has been discovered to have the ability to mega evolve. This is a very recent discovery, not much is known about it as the trainer refused to allow scientists to examine mega Sceptile claiming that he can only mega-evolve Sceptile in the heat of battle. It is however known that mega-sceptile grows far larger and develops large bush like protrusions on its shoulders of similar texture to its tail. Its tail grows in size and is tipped with a large red thorn which can be removed to fire at enemies. The thorn regrows almost immediately. Some of the solar nodules on Mega-sceptile's back turn red and orange. It is unknown what this does to this nodules. Overall mega Sceptile becomes both much faster and stronger offensively with an small boost in endurance. It becomes an incredibly powerful pokemon one to be reckoned with.

It has also been noted that Sceptile's more reptilian features become pronounced and energy signals from within its body become overwhelmingly powerful and similar to the power shown in Dragon types. This and its greater susceptibility to ice attacks lead us to believe that Mega-Sceptile may have unlocked a hidden dragon typing unseen in any other grass type. It is known that the dragon type is an ancient and powerful type explaining the power increase but also raises a few questions. Has Sceptile always had latent dragon type powers? Has it always been a hidden attribute in its DNA? Is it possible that this mega-evolution is revealing an ancient origin of the pokemon Sceptile? Almost a sort of primal reversion?

Needless to say mega-evolution is revealing even more mysteries in the pokemon world and showing us just how incredible it can be.

 **Threats:** Treecko are, unfortunately, currently thought to be endangered in the wild and are most certainly threatened by Human activity. The increasing need to exploit land for its resources means that the treecko line's habitats are being rapidly lost thanks to deforestation. Sceptile have been known to fiercely fight to protect their forests but this is often a losing battle and has led to the corpses of many courageous pokemon. Deforestation is the single greatest threat to many pokemon that exist in forests and the future looks bleak.

Deforestation and degradation are complex problems, there are no simple solutions but there are potential approaches that can make a big difference.

Possible solutions to this problem on a major scale includes the protection of forested land, sustainable forestry, improved farming practices, improving the policies of companies that produce palm oil, paper and sugar and the education of people. You yourself can also do a lot towards protecting the homes of pokemon. Making informed choices such as buying environmentally friendly paper, recycling, and eating sustainable food from the pokemart. Taking direct action can also be beneficial to helping councils and governments set up more policies against deforestation as well as spreading the word for the increasing need for conservative action.

 **Folklore:** Sceptile are commonly known as the Kings of the Forest. It is thought that this came from isolated tribes that existed in rainforests that were ruled over by this pokemon. These people treated this pokemon as their king helping to protect the forest and sustainably farm the it of its resources. It was a sign of fertility and prosperity and a blessed omen if the king of the forest was seen.

Sceptile and Grovyle have also been known to be synonymous with forest shadows. Thought the be the reason you feel watched when you enter a dark forest and the cause of the swift shadows that fly past your eyes. Many have feared these pokemon as symbols of the dangers of going into the forest alone and rightly so. Incurring the wrath of the king of the forest could well spell an unfortunate fate.

While this pokemon is rare in the wild many captive breeding programs are active that are funded by trainers. There has been great success in this area and now treecko are regularly gifted to trainers as starter pokemon in Hoenn and have proven to be fine partners whether trainers seek glory in battle or in other endeavours.

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 **Hello again, sorry its been so long. Final year of university is killer so I decided to do this as a bit of a revision break. Apologies for leaving it so long it might even be almost a year but I can only do what i have time for and for that I'm sorry.**

 **Today's entry is on the Treecko line the starters of Hoenn. As you can probably guess this entry was mostly based on geckos of the real world but I also took inspiration from monitor lizards and primeval raptors as the upper evolutions are more dinosaur like than anything else. As usual this was fascinating to do, i'm a bit of a reptile nerd so doing research on this was a joy (and counted as good revision for an upcoming essay). I love doing Grass type pokemon because combining animal and plant traits to create something almost(not at all) believable is a fun little challenge. Obviously Sceptiles tail is based on a fern increasing is primeval aesthetic even more. So I predicted that the lumps on its back were similar to fern spores, that or the nodes of leguminous plants which are filled with nutrients. I was very tempted to claim that the leaves on these pokemon were in fact feathers as there is increasing evidence that raptors were feathered. However I figured that might be a story for another day. Plus chlorophyll in feathers sounded hard to explain.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review. It's honestly inspirational to hear your thoughts and it means chapters easier to write.**


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